An official asked him this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.’” And he replied, “All of these I have observed from my youth.” When Jesus heard this he said to him, “There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him [now sad] and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?” And he said, “What is impossible for human beings is possible for God.” Then Peter said, “We have given up our possessions and followed you.” He said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive [back] an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”
The
official who addressed Jesus as ‘good teacher’ was an expert in Mosaic law who
was trying to test Jesus (Lk. 10:25). God
is the source of all goodness and the good that Jesus was doing was not of his
own accord but from God. Based on the
law, observing the commandments led to eternal life. The commandments that Jesus mentioned all
pertain to human relationships (love of neighbor) and devout Jews observed them. Jesus introduced new requirements; caring for
those in need and following him. The
official was unwilling to do so. It went
against everything he had learned. And
to follow Jesus would be to put Jesus above God. In Jesus’ time, wealth was viewed as divine
favor; poverty was not associated with righteousness; 'Blessed the man who
fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commands. Wealth and riches shall
be in his house; his righteousness shall endure forever (Ps. 112:1,3).’ Given his attachment to his possessions the
wealthy official could not enter the Kingdom of God unless God freed him from his
attachment to them. Jesus then made a contrast
for effect – a large animal passing through a very small opening. Jesus then tells his disciples that those who
have given up possessions, family, or wife (leading a celibate life) for the kingdom
of God will be rewarded both in this life and the next.
Let us
not, "Spend the rest of our lives on
human desires but on ascertaining the will of God and doing it;” (1 Pet.4:2).
Almighty
God, strengthen us as we place our hope in you and graciously hear our
prayer. Free us from slavery to our
possessions and grant us the grace always to follow your commands and to please
you by our resolve and our deeds. This
we pray through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, &
Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
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